Use of Growth-stimulatory Hormones to Improve the in Vitro Therapeutic Index of Doxorubicin for Human Breast Tumors

摘要: Tumor-specific growth factors that increase the proliferative rate of tumor cells should, in theory, enhance efficacy cytotoxic drugs have cell-cycle-dependent activity. To test this hypothesis, we measured cytotoxicity doxorubicin for clonogenic breast presence and absence hormones stimulate their vitro (17β-estradiol, epidermal factor, hydrocortisone, insulin). These increased sensitivity to cell populations from 20 25 tumors. Their effect was greatest on tumors hormone-responsive patients. In contrast, these clonogenicity bone marrow progenitor a much lesser degree. Hence, under factors, therapeutic index improved most tested, while tamoxifen citrate, growth-inhibitory hormone, had opposite effect. We conclude tissue-specific growth-stimulatory can improve cycle-active anticancer drugs.